Stop Trying to be a Superwoman!

I was just interviewed by the awesome Brooke and Monti on their Radio Show “The Ladies Room” at Movin 92.5 – about Superwoman Syndrome. Hopefully I’ll be able to give you a copy of the actual interview segment soon – I’ll let you know. In the meantime:

Experts interviewed for a report by NBC News talked about “Overworked, overwhelmed and overscheduled women juggling families, friends and careers are turning to stimulants, painkillers and anti-anxiety meds to help launch them through endless to-do lists,” the article goes on to say. “Women load their lives with so much that they get in over their heads, and some turn to prescription pills to cope,” said Talia Witkowski, a psychologist in Los Angeles.

So, here are my thoughts on Overwhelm & 7 Tips to BEAT it!

Do you ever experience forgetfulness, racing thoughts, daydreaming at inconvenient moments, become snappy, have difficulty falling or staying asleep or find it hard some days to ‘see the wood for the trees’? These signs of stress have become so common that we accept them as part of life today.

In fact, these days we’re better off than we’ve ever been – most of us in the Western World have no worries about food, clean water, clothing and shelter. And technology has made things faster, smaller and more useable – entertaining us, saving us money, time, stress and hassle!

But instead of using the time saved to relax while the dishwasher is on we simply cram more into our already busy lives. And we can now be in constant contact with everyone at all times via multiple phone numbers, email, Facebook, Twitter and many different forms of instant and text-messaging.

The explosion of automation, possibility and choice means we are constantly over-committed, over-connected, over-informed and overwhelmed!

The good news is that overwhelm is something we largely create for ourselves. We try to manage time better when we really should be managing ourselves better – doing less and looking after our needs more.

7 Top Tips to BEAT your OVERWHELM!

What’s your overwhelm indicator? How do you know you’ve gone too far, taken on too much or are pushing yourself too hard? Just starting to notice when you feel overwhelmed is a huge step forward. As people get better at noticing, they learn to stop, think and do something about it.

Simply stop and ask yourself the question; “OK, so what’s the EASY way to do this?” Listen to your inner wisdom and implement!

Identify your Top 5 Priorities and make these your focus. People’s top priorities often include things like family/friends, health, financial security and being happy or enjoying life. Next time you feel overwhelmed you can regain calm by asking “What would help my family?” or “What would be best for my health/financial situation/happiness right now?”

Create calm in your mind. Place your feet on the floor and focus on your breathing for a moment. Now close your eyes and imagine your thoughts, tasks, “to do’s” etc. as a river raging around you. Slowly imagine the river getting calmer and calmer until it is a quiet, gently flowing stream. Once it is a gentle stream, imagine it getting smaller and trickling into a beautiful, quiet, still pond. Now you are ready to continue with your day – one thing at a time.

Just make a decision. Sometimes NOT making a decision adds to your overwhelm, as options and possibilities crowd your mind. Simply make the best choice with the information available to you at the time and CHOOSE to be happy with it.

Re-learn how to say “No”. There will ALWAYS be more to do than time available. Once you know what’s REALLY important to you, make that your priority and let go of the rest! Re-learn how to say “No” and you’ll feel amazing!

Set yourself up well for the day. People know they cope with daily stresses better when they are well rested. If you go to bed just 30 minutes earlier each day you will start your day feeling more rested and better-fueled. Also, the TV stimulates your brain so turn off the TV at least an hour before bedtime and allow your brain to unwind.

I once read that the harder you push yourself, the harder your self pushes back. So, remember that your life is a never-ending series of choices – make yours wisely!